Addressing machine



Sept. 3, 1940. ELLIOTT Q 2,213,341 I ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 51, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l I f 36 36 26 E 26 f I 4a A 44 46 w; 76 68 6 A 58 5a 74 75 p 3, 1940- H. P. ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J71 0021 for.

Mam L p H. P. ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 iii.

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p 1940. H. P. ELLIOTT ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADDRESSING MACHINE Harmon 1?. Elliott, Watertown, Mass.

Application January 31, 1938, Serial No. 187,838

17 Claims. (01. 101-65) This invention relates to addressing machines adapted to operate on a succession of address bearing printing devices, as stencils, and has amongst its objects to simplify the mechanism and reduce the cost of manufacture of the machine; to reduce the pressure between the printing mechanism and the work and thereby to permit the use of simplified rotary mechanism for actuating the printing mechanism; to simplify the mechanism by which said stencils or address bearing printing devices can be skipped and by which repeated impressions of the same printing device can be made; and generally to improve the construction and performance of the addressing machine.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. 1 taken along line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the printing roller and inking mechanism, taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View somewhat diagrammatically illustrated of the operating mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a plan detail of the stencil guideway.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken along line 88 of Fig. 1, certain elements being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 9 is a detail illustrating the manner of shifting the platen cam roll for skipping stencils.

Fig. 10 is a section taken along line l0l[l of Fig. 8, and illustrating the meanner of securing the platen releasably to the associated operating member.

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail taken along line llil of Fig. 6, illustrating the mechanism for reciprocating the printing roll.

' Fig. 12 is an end detail of the clutch mechanism of the power plant looking in the direction of the arrows l2l2 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail take along line i3l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a detail illustrating the mechanism for holding the pusher in retracted position when disconnected from the pusher actuating mechanism.

The addressing machine embodying the present invention comprises a flat table or bed 20 supported upon vertical end standards 22. The table 20 is provided at its opposite ends with work-supporting extension leaves 24 the ends of which are semi-circular. vided with front and rear extensions 26 that are pivoted at 28 to the front and rear edges of the table so that the leaves can be swung into the vertical position indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 1 when the machine is not in use.

The arms 26 underlie stops 36 which hold the leaves in horizontal extended position and abut against other stops 32 which hold the leaves in vertical position. In the vertical position the leaves are adapted to receive a flexible cover 34 the side edges of which are secured to fastener members 38 projecting from the peripheries of the leaves whereby to enclose that part of the operating mechanism above the table 20 and also to hold the leaves in vertical position.

The table 20 is provided with a depressed portion or recess 38 in the middle thereof which is extended from the back of the table to the front edge thereof. A pair of parallel rails til are located in said depression and constitute a guide way or track along which successive address bearing stencils or printing devices are advanced into printing position and thence into a receiver 42 located at the front end of the machine below said guideway.

The stencils or other printing devices 44 are contained in a vertical stack in a holder at disposed above the table and guideway at the rear end of the guideway. The successive lowermost stencils of the stack are advanced from the stack into the guideway by a pusher 48 which is reciprocable in the line of the stencil track under the holder and has upstanding projection 5'0, see Fig. 8, engageable with the successive lowermost sten-- cils to move them out of the stack into the guideway. The pusher 48 reciprocates on a pair of guide rods 52 carried by and disposed beneath the table 20.

The stencils are advanced ina step by step manner along the track to a printing position under a platen 5d and above a printing roller 56. The platen 54 is a part of a platen frame having a pair of rearwardly extended vertically arcuate arms 58 which at their rear ends are connected to a reciprocating platen-operating frame (if) having depending arms 62, see Fig. 8, which pass through the table 29 and are fixed to an oscillable shaft 54 journalled in ears 66, see Figs. 3 and 8, depending from the table 20. The connection between the arms 58 and the operating frame 60 is releasable. The arms 58 lie on similar sides of upstanding ears 68 of said frame 6!! and have pins Hi which project into recesses 12 of said ears. The arms 58 are also connected tosaid ears by a The leaves are pro- 1 rod Z4 extended through both arms and both ears and fixed to said ears. A compression spring i6 encircles said rod and bears against one arm 58 and a collar 78 fixed to said rod. The spring thus holds the pins 10 in the recesses I2. By bodily movement of the arms in one direction, as toward the left, Fig. 10, the arms may be moved to move the pins out of the recesses against the action of the spring 16 so that the platen and the arms may be raised into some position indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 8 to gain access to the stencil track.

The platen is reciprocated by a rotatable shaft 88 which is journalled in depending ears 82 carried by the table 20 and extends below and crosswise of the stencil track. Said shaft has a cylindrical drum 84 fixed thereto and said drum at one side thereof has a cam ledge 86 raised above the cylindrical periphery of the drum but which does not extend completely around the circumference but has a sufficient length of'arc to effect proper operation of the platen. The oscillable shaft 64 to which the platen operating frame 69 is fixed has the depending arm 38 fixed thereto, which arm confronts the periphery of the drum and cam. Tension springs 96 extended between said arm and a bracket 82 tend to urge said arm 88 towards said drum and also tend to elevate the platen.

The arm 88 at thelower end thereof is provided with a pair of cars 92 in which a roller pin 94 is journalled. A cam roller 96 is fixed to said pin betweensaid ears. Said pin 94 extends beyond one of said ears 92 and has a compression spring 93 thereon which bears against said ear and a collar Ifiil fixed to said pin. The spring thus tends to move said pin in an axial direction to maintain said roller 93 in one end of the space between said ears 5B2. Said roller, however, can be moved into the other end of said space by sufficient pressure exerted axially of said pin. Said roller rides upon the periphery of the drum 84 and normally in line with the cam 86 thereof so that at each revolution of the drum the arm 88 and consequently the platen is reciprocated to effect a printing operation.

At times a printing operation is not desired upon certain stencils which the operative can select visually as they move along the guideway toward printing position. For passing an unwanted stencil through the printing position, or skipping the stencil, without effecting a printing operation thereon, the pin 94 is moved axially to position the roller 96 out of line with the cam 86 and into line with the cylindrical surface of the drum.

The mechanism for effecting this result comprises a slide bar I 02, see Figs. 3 and 9, slidable in a guide block I 64 carried by a depending bearing bracket I06 of the table 20. Said slide bar has a foot I08 disposed in confronting relation with the end of the pin 94. The other end of the slide bar confronts an arm of a bell crank lever HG pivoted on a bracket I I2 fixed to the aforesaid bracket I06. The other arm of said bell crank lever is connected to a push rod I I4 extended forwardly under the table 20 and terminated forwardly of the table in a knob H6. By pushing upon the rod I I4 the slide bar I02 is caused to be reciprocated to push the roller pin axially and position the roller 96 at one side of the line of the cam 86 and out of register therewith. The push rod H4 need not be depressed except momentarily or until the drum has advanced sufficiently to position the cam at one side of the roller 96 whereupon the cam will prevent the roller from being restored from its original position by the spring 98 until the cam has passed beyond the side of the roller. Thus the cam drum fi l will have made a complete operative rotation without a corresponding operation of the platen. The foot 593 of the slide bar preferably is long enough to confront the end of the roller pin 24 at any part of the swing of the pin so that the roller can be moved to one side of the cam 36 at any part of the stroke of the platen, if desired.

The pusher 38 is reciprocated by the shaft through mechanism which permits the pusher to be operatively disconnected from the shaft so that repeated printing of the address of a selected stencil can be effected. The pusher operating mechanism includes a radially outstanding crank arm IE8, see Figs. 3, 5 and S, fixed to the shaft Bil. A connecting rod 1325 is pivotally connected to said crank arm l 28 at one and at its other end has a longitudinally elongated slot l2? provided at its extreme end with an upstanding ofiset slot I26. A pin I26 located in said slots and is normally engaged with the offset slot I24 by the weight of the connecting rod. Said pin is carried by the lower end of an arm fixed to a shaft I30 journalled in depending brackets I32 of the table. An arm lfi l is fixed to the intermediate part of said shaft and upstands thereabove to a point below the pusher and at its upper end is connected to the pusher by a link IE5. With this arrangement each rotation of the shaft 83 causes a complete reciprocation of pusher.

For disabling the pusher the connecting rod iiiii is elevated to bring the pin list into line with the elongated slot 32 of the connecting rod. For this purpose a slide bar M8 is vertically reciprocable in a guide Mil, see Figs. 1 and 6, fixed to a part of the power plant generally indicated by the numeral Hi2 and supported on a cross shelf i 'l bctwcen the standards 22. The slide I38 at its upper end has an inclined elongated end M63 which underlies the connecting rod l2!) for a distance approximately equal to the stroke of the connecting rod and generally parallel therewith. The connecting rod has a projection I48 which overlies the inclined end 556. By raising the slide bar E33 the inclined end 1% is caused to be engaged with the cam projection to move the slotted end of the connecting rod upwardly to cause the elongated slot 22 to be in register with the pin l26 whereby to disconnect the connecting rod from the pusher. The cam Hit holds the end of the connecting rod in such relation during the reciprocatory movements thereof until the slide bar has been lowered.

The slide bar is raised and lowered by means of a lever E50 pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin use carried by the shelf bill and having one end under and in position to engage and elevate the slide bar. The other end of said lever I50 is disposed under one end of a lever Hi l, see Figs. 6 and 12, pivoted at I56 to the shelf M4. The other end of said lever Ill i is pivotally connected to an upstanding link it, see Fig. l, the lower end of which is connected to a pedal Hill. Thus by depressing the pedal the pusher is disabled and hence a repeated printing of the same stencil is effected.

The pusher is held in disengaged position by a cam member I5I, see Figs. 6 and 14, fixed to the shaft I30 and having a fiat cam face i 53 engaged by a plate I55 pivoted at I57 and held yieldingly against said cam face by a tension spring I59 of suflicient strength to hold the shaft I30 from rotation, and hence the pusher from movement when said shaft is disengaged from the connecting rod.

The cam shaft 80 is rotated by a drive shaft I62, see Figs. 1, 3 and 7, which is journalled in brackets N4 of and depending below the table 20, the adjacent ends of the two shafts being connected by miter gears N55. The rear end of the shaft Hi2 projects beyond the rear of the machine frame'and is provided with a hand wheel m8 by which the mechanism may be operated manually when desired. The shaft N52 is rotated positively by the power plant Hi2 through a sprocket i'lEl fixed to said shaft and engaging with a chain 112 engaged with a sprocket [l4 loose on the slow speed drive shaft H6, see Figs. 8, 6 and 13, of the power plant. The shaft H6 is journalled in a reduction gearing casing H8 supported by the shelf Hi4. A worm gear 580 is fixed to said shaft and meshes with a worm I82 fixed to a shaft 18 i driven by an electric motor I86 supported by the aforesaid shelf.

Clutch mechanism is provided to connect the sprocket H4 releasably with the shaft H6. Said clutch mechanism, see especially Figs. 3, '7, l2 and 13, comprises a ratchet disc 588 fixed to the end of the shaft H5 and having a plurality of teeth ltd on the periphery thereof. The sprocket ild has a hub I92 to which an outstanding arm lilfil is fixed. Said arm has a pawl 1% pivoted thereto by a screw E98 and overlies the ratchet disc i833 and has a tooth 269 that is adapted to engage with any one of the teeth of the ratchet disc. When so engaged the pawl and the sprocket rotate together.

The pawl can be disengaged from the ratchet disc to stop the operation of the printing mech anism by means of a slide bar 202 which is slidable in bearings 2% of a bracket 2% carried by the shelf it. One end of the bar is disposed in line with the pawl 195 and when moved into the path of rotation thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 12, engages the end of the pawl and earns the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet disc H88, thereby disconnecting the sprocket from the disc and stopping the operation of the printing mechanism. The slide bar 282 can be withdrawn from control of the pawl thereby to perrnit the tension spring 283 to move the pawl into position for engagement with the ratchet disc. 1 a

The mechanism for withdrawing the slide bar includes a bell crank lever 2w pivoted on a screw 2E2 carried by the bracket 295. The upper long arm of the bell crank has a laterally projecting pin 72M which is located between two spaced depending pins 256 of the slide bar and is adapted to engage one or the other of said.

pins in reciprocating the slide bar. The shorter horizontal arm of said bell crank is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 2E8, the lower end of which is connected to a foot pedal 220, see Fig. 1. 7 With thearrangement as thus described depression and immediate release of the pedal 220 causes the sprocket il to be driven one complete rotation.

Brake mechanism isprovided to prevent undue rotation of the sprocket and associated parts due to its own momentum when the pawl is disengaged from the cam disc. Said brake mechanism comprises a friction arm 222 one end of which is pivoted on a screw 22 carried by the bracket 2% and the. otherendof which is pressed by a retractile spring 226 frictionally against the hub 192 of the sprocket thereby checking undue rotation of the sprocket after it has been disengaged from driving connection with the ratchet disc.

The printing roller 56, see Fig. l, is reciprocated in rolling engagement with the stencil sheet of the stencil under the platen 54 and crosswise of the stencil guideway to force ink through the address characters of the stencil sheet and onto the envelope or other work under the depressed platen. By reason of the rolling engagement between the roll and the stencil and the progressive printing of the address the pressure between the roll and the platen is relatively little compared with addressing machines wherein all parts of the address are printed simultanecusly.

The roller is carried by a shaft 228 which projects beyond the roll on both sides thereof and the projecting ends are located in confronting cam slots 23!) of cam blocks 232 extended transversely under the stencil guideway. The cam slots 23% have major horizontal portions which hold the roll in pressure engagement with the address bearing stencil sheet of the stencil through the length of the address portion thereof. At one end of the cam blocks, however, the cam grooves have depressed portions 23d which permit the roll to drop below the stencil so that it can be advanced freely along the guideway.

In the depressed position of the printing roll he roll engages the periphery of a rotatable inking drum 2% supported by a shaft 238 journalled in depending brackets 26% of the table. An ink transfer roll 242 is in peripheral contact with the drum 2% and is adapted to receive ink from a fountain roll 2%. The inking drum 123% is driven continuously by belts 2 36 and 248, see Fig. 1, from the low speed shaft I'EE of the power plant.

.The inking roll has the ends of its shaft 228 journalled in one end of a frame 258, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of an oscillating arm 252 fixed to and upstanding from one end of a shaft 25d, see Figs. 3, 4 and 5, journaled in depending brackets 256 of the table. A crank arm 258 is fixed'to and upstands from the other end of said shaft and is connected through a connecting rod 266 with a crank pin 2%2 of a disc 26% journalled on a stud shaft 266, see Figs. 5 and 11, fixed to the aforesaid bracket I64. A pinion gear 288 is also journalled on said shaft 256 and is fixed for conjoint rotation with said disc 2%. The pinion gear 268 is driven from a spur gear 210 fixed tothe shaft 582. The spur gear 219 has interrupted gear teeth and the pinion 268 is correspondingly formed, the arrangement being such that the shaft 262 is in driving engagement with the spur gear for one-half a revolution of the shaft and during the remaining half revolution the gear 268 is. locked by the gear 2m against rotation. The spur gear 21B is twice the diameter of the pinion gear so that one complete reciprocation of the inking roll 56 is obtained for a half revolution of the operating shaft M52.

The operation is essentially as follows:' Momentary depression of the pedal 224?, Fig. 1, causes the withdrawal of the sliding bar 2%)2, Fig. 12, to effect the engagement of the latch 33% with the ratchet disc 88 to effect one complete rotation of the operating shaft I62. Said shaft rotates the drum as in a clockwise direction, Figs.

5 and 8. During the first part of the rotation the circular periphery of the drum passes under the platen operating roll 96 without effecting a movement of translation thereof. The rotation of the drum shaft, however, causes the advance of the pusher 48 to advance a used stencil out of printing position and a new stencil into position therein. At the time the pusher begins to retract the cam portion 86 of the drum engages the roll 96 and moves the platen 54 downwardly into a printing position. The mutilated gears 258 and 210 then come into driving engagement to reciprocate the printing roller 55 in engagement with the stencil and effect a printing operation. The platen is then retracted and the pusher is advanced for the delivery of a second stencil. If a duplicate printing of a selected stencil is desired the repeat pedal I60, Fig. 1, is depressed which effects the disengagement of the connecting rod 120 of the operating arm I58 of the pusher, Fig. 8, so that a second operation of the printing mechanism can be effected without a consequent movement of the stencil. If it is desired to skip a stencil without printing therefrom the rod lid is depressed, the action of which is to shift the cam roller 96, Figs. 8 and 9, into a position out of alignment with the cam ledge 86 of the drum 84 so that the drum shaft can rotate and operate the pusher without operating the platen.

I claim:

1. In an addressing machine, a table having a guideway for printing devices, a holder for printing devices rising above said guideway at one end thereof, a pivoted platen operating frame disposed in front of said holder, and a platen frame carried by said operating frame and extended forwardly therefrom over said guideway, an end portion of said platen frame having an interlocking connection with said operating frame to connect said frames rigidly together for oscillation as a unit, said interlocking connection being rclc sable to permit said platen frame to swing on said operating frame to move into inoperative position away from said guideway.

2. In an addressing machine, an oscillable platen operating frame, a platen frame having a pivotal connection at one end portion with operating frame arranged to permit said platen frame to sway upwardly above operating frame, and means for locking said platen frame normally rigidly with said operating frame whereby the two frames can normally reciprocate as a unit, the locking means being releasable without detaching the platen frame from the operating frame, whereby the platen frame can swing on said operating frame into an out of the way position.

3. In an addressing machine, an oscillable platen operating frame, a platen. frame, a rod pivotally connecting said frames arranged to permit the platen frame to swing upwardly above the operating frame, said platen frame having at one end portion a projecting pin engaged with a recess of said operating frame to prevent pivotal movement of said platen frame and interlocking the said two frames rigidly, and spring means acting yieldingly on said platen frame to maintain said pin in said recess and adapted to yield to permit withdrawal of said pin from said recess to permit movement of the platen frame to an inoperative position.

i. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway for printing devices, means for advancing successive printing devices along said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame having a shiftable cam roller, operating means for said platen frame including a drum having an outstanding cam ledge at one part of the periphery of the drum, and means for shifting said cam roller from a position in line with said cam ledge to a position at one side of said cam ledge for controlling the reciprocation of said platen.

5. Inan addressing machine, the combination of a guideway for printing devices, means for advancing successive printing devices along said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame having a shiftable cam roller, operating means for said platen frame including a drum having an outstanding cam ledge at one part of the periphery of the drum, means for shifting said cam roller from a position in line with said cam ledge to a position at one side of said cam ledge for controlling the reciprocation of said platen, and means urging said roller for movement into a position in line with said cam ledge, said roller when moved out of line with said ledge being held from return movement by engagement with the side of said ledge.

6. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, means for advancing successive printing devices along said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame, a sliding shaft journalled in said frame having a cam roller fixed thereto, spring means urging said shaft for movement into a predetermined position, operating means for said platen frame including a rotatable drum having an outstanding cam ledge at one side thereof disposed in line with said roller when said roller is in said predetermined position for engaging said roller and oscillating said platen carrying frame, and means for moving said roller shaft axially to position said roller at one side of said cam ledge for preventing oscillation of said platen frame by said cam ledge.

7 In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, means for advancing successive printing devices along said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame, a sliding shaft journalled in said frame having a cam roller fixed thereto, spring means urging said shaft for movement into a predetermined position, operating means for said platen frame including a rotatable drum having an outstanding cam ledge at one side thereof disposed in line with said roller when said roller is in said predetermined position for engaging said roller and oscillating said platen carrying frame, and means for moving said roller shaft axially to position said roller at one side of said cam ledge for preventing oscillation of said platen frame by said cam ledge, said last named means being positioned to engage and move said roller shaft axially at any part of the stroke of said platen frame.

8. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, means for advancing successive printing devices along said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame, a sliding shaft journalled in said frame having a cam roller fixed thereto, spring means urging said shaft for movement into a predetermined position, operating means for said platen frame including a rotatable drum having an outstanding cam ledge at one side thereof disposed in line with said roller when said roller is in said predetermined position for engaging said roller and oscillating said platen carrying frame, and

, means for moving said roller shaft axially to position said roller at one side of said cam ledge for preventing oscillation of said platen frame by said cam ledge, said means including a slide bar movable axially of said roller shaft into and out of engagement therewith, and means for reciprocating said slide bar.

9. In an addressing machine, aholder for a printing device, printing mechanism including a platen movable toward and away from said holder, cam and cam follower means normally operative to reciprocate said platen and to hold it in a depressed position during the printing cycle, and

means for relatively shifting the cam and cam follower out of register with each other to withhold operation of said platen during the rotation of the cam.

10. In an addressing machine, a guideway for printing devices, a holder for a stack of printing devices rising above said guideway, printing mechanism operating on'the successive printing devices in said guideway, means for advancing the successive devices from said holder into said guideway including a reciprocating pusher, means for reciprocating said pusher including means forming a bell crank lever, one arm of which has an operative connection with said pusher, a rotatable shaft having a crank arm, a connecting rod connected with said crank arm and having a disengageable connection with the other arm of said bell crank lever, a power plant under the aforesaid mechanism having a driving connection with said shaft, and means carried by said power plant for effecting disengagement and engagement of said connecting rod and bell crank lever.

11. In an addressing machine, a guideway for printing devices, a holder for a stack of printing devices rising above said guideway, printing mechanism operating on the successive printing devices in said guideway, means for advancing the successive devices from said holder into said guideway including a reciprocating pusher, means for reciprocating said pusher including means forming a bell crank lever, one arm of which has an operative connection with said pusher, a rotatable shaft having a crank arm, a connecting rod connected with said crank arm and having a disengageable connection with the other arm of said bell crank lever, means for effecting disengagement and engagement of said connecting rod and bell crank lever, comprising a slide bar disposed under said connecting rod having a foot extended in the plane of reciprocation of said connecting rod, and means for moving said slide bar to engage said connecting rod and to move it out of operative engagement with said bell crank lever, and a power plant for operating said shaft providing a support for said slide bar.

12. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, a holder for a stack of printing devices associated with said guideway, a pusher for advancing successive printing devices from said holder into said guideway, printing mechanism operative upon the printing devices in said guideway including an oscillable platen carrying arm, a rotatable shaft having a cam engageable with said arm for reciprocating it, means for reciprocating said pusher including means forming a bell crank lever one arm of which has an operative connection with said pusher, a crank arm on said shaft, a connecting rod engaged with one end of said crank arm and at the other end having a disengageable pin and slot connection with the other arm of said bell crank lever, and

- manually operated means for moving said connecting rod in a direction for effecting its disengagement with said bell crank lever and for holding it in disengaged condition during the reciprocation thereof.

13. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway for printing devices, a holder for a stack of printing devices associated with said guideway, mechanism for advancing successive printing devices from said holder into said guideway, and printing mechanism operative upon the devices in said guideway including oscillable platen carrying frame having a platen disposed on one side of said guideway and reciprocable toward and away therefrom, a rotatable shaft having a cam engageable with said platen carrying frame for oscillating it, a printing roller disposed under said platen on the opposite side of said guideway, means for reciprocating said roller transversely of said guideway in rolling engagement with a printing device therein including a frame engaged with said roller, an oscillating shaft having an operative connection with said frame for reciprocating it, an operative shaft for rotating said cam carrying shaft having a mutilated spur gear fixed thereto, a mutilated pinion gear driven by said spur gear, and a connecting rod driven by said pinion gear connected with and oscillating said oscillating shaft.

14. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, a holder for a stack of printing devices associated with said guideway, pusher mechanism for advancing the successive stencils in said holder into said guideway, printing mechanism operative upon the stencils in said guideway, an operating shaft for operating said printing mechanism and pusher mechanism, a slow speed shaft, a driving motor, reduction gearing connecting said slow speed shaft and driving motor, a driven member rotatably loose on said slow speed shaft having a pawl, a ratchet disc fixed to said slow speed shaft, mechanism controlling the driving engagement with said ratchet disc and pawl, and driving means positively connecting said driven member with said operating shaft.

15. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, a holder for printing devices, a pusher for advancing successive printing devices from said holder into said guideway, printing mechanism operative upon the printing devices in said guideway, a rotary shaft for operating said printing mechanism, means for reciprocating said pusher including means forming a bell crank lever one arm of which has an operative connection with said pusher, a connecting rod reciprocated by said shaft having a disengageable connection with the other arm of said bell crank lever, a unitary power plant located below the aforesaid mechanism and having a driving connection with said shaft, and means for disconnecting said connecting rod and bell crank lever including a slide member carried by said power plant and reciprocable into and out of engagement with said connecting rod,

16. In an addressing machine, the combination of a guideway, a holder for printing devices, a pusher for advancing successive printing devices from said holder into said guideway, printing mechanism operative upon the printing devices in said guideway, a rotary shaft for operating said printing mechanism, means for reciprocating said pusher including means forming a bell crank lever one arm of which has an operative connection with said pusher, a connecting rod reciprocated by said shaft having a disengageable connection with the other arm of said bell crank lever, a unitary power plant located below the aforesaid mechanism and having a driving connection with said shaft, means for disconnecting said connecting rod and bell crank lever including a slide member carried by said power plant and reciprocable into and out of engagement with said connecting rod, a lever pivoted to a part of said power plant and engageable with said slide rod, and a pedal connected with said lever for reciprocating it.

17. In an addressing machine, the combination of a table having a guideway, a holder for printing devices rising above said guideway at one end thereof, a reciprocating pusher for advancing successive printing devices from said holder into said guideway, printing mechanism including an oscillable platen carrying frame pivoted to said table in front of said holder and extended forwardly thereof and terminating in a platen confronting said guideway, a reciproeating printing roll disposed under said guideway and platen, a rotary shaft disposed under said table transversely of said guideway having a cam engageable with said platen carrying frame for oscillating it, an operating shaft for said cam carrying shaft disposed parallel with said guideway on one side thereof and having a driving connection with said cam carrying shaft, an oscillable shaft for reciprocating said printing roll disposed parallel with said guideway on the other side thereof, intermittently operated mechanism connecting said operating and oscillable shafts transversely of and beneath said guideway, and means for rotating said operating shaft.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT. 

